Please read my study questions on I Kings and then as much as you can of I Kings for next Tuesday. Please read especially closely the chapters on Solomon (Chapters 1-11).Does it seems to you that the I Kings account of Solomon has in it the makings of a good tragedy? Or is the I Kings account better viewed as history, biography, or prophecy rather than as tragedy?
While it can be argued that the entire Bible could be a tragedy, I would say that this particle book is more like a prophecy. As was said to Solomon by the Lord, "If you walk in my ways I will establish your throne." To me, this is more indicative of things to come, whether those things are tragic are not is yet to be seen.
ReplyDeleteI hate to be a fence sitter here, but the story of Solomon seems to have historic, prophetic and tragic elements. If I had to choose one I guess it would have to be that of a tragedy. The story has a lot of historic details and as Cindy mentioned there is definitely a fulfillment of prophesy as well. However, just because a story is true and holds prophetic elements does not change the fact that Solomon ultimately falls from God when he worships his wives gods. He had to have known it was unwise to have so many wives, and he had to have known that God was able to see him worshiping them, but he did it anyway. This really doesn't seem very wise. : Tragedy
ReplyDeleteI think the story of Solomon works best as a history. Unlike the book before, I feel that this book is listing a string of events with little diversions into actual story telling narrative. Sure there are bits and pieces but I feel there is less emotional investment in Solomon other than his mistakes and how he came to terms with said mistakes. It seems too distant for me to think this is a tragedy though it has tragic elements. The history books describe Maximilien Robespierre factually and yet one can detect tragic elements in that setting as well. Thus I conclude that this book reads more like a history than its immediate predecessors.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to say history and philosophy and tragedy in my opinion. History because of Solomon's temple being built. Tragedy being brought on by oneself through one selves actions and totally avoidable. Prophecy being the destruction that is going to happen to the kingdom of Israel and the tribes that they will be split into.
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